Bermuda Cricket Board of Control (BCBC) president Ed Bailey is determined to make cricket a year round affair, and last weekend's success at the Christmas Festival in Florida was intimated as being but the tip of the iceberg.

Bailey has a busy schedule planned for the national squad over the next 15 months, including at least six tours -- four outgoing (Barbados, Malaysia, Jamaica and Shell/Sandals), two incoming (New Zealand and Antigua) -- and the possibility of one or two more.

Negotiations are also ongoing to employ what the president described as "a top West Indian coach'' as a consultant to current national coach and chairman of selectors Allan Douglas as part of the building process with a particular eye on preparing Bermuda for next October's Shell/Sandals limited overs competition and the 1997 ICC Trophy in Malaysia.

Bermuda were deemed co-winners of the quadrangular Christmas Festival along with Jamaica after defeating Jamaica and having their other match against Guyana rained out. The tournament also included United States and Guyana and Bailey, who acted as an adjudicator at the competition, was understandably ecstatic with regard to the positive showing by the local lads.

"What I saw over the weekend was, perhaps, the best showing I've seen of Bermuda in any competition in a long time,'' said Bailey. "The way Bermuda applied themselves both mentally and physically demonstrated great potential in the team and this was noted by many of the other teams' officials and players.

"We knew going into the competition that it would be our first test against teams that we might meet at the Shell/Sandals and so it was vital that we gave a good account of ourselves.

"It was excellent and showed how well the players have adapted and how good a programme Allan put together to prepare and get the players to commit themselves during their six weeks of training.'' Bermuda scored 104 all out from 28 overs against Jamaica, with brothers Wendell and Clay Smith leading the way scoring 28 and 21 respectively during a partnership of 50. In turn their opponents replied with 102 all out from 30 overs.

Their final outing against Guyana, perceived as the weakest of the four sides, was destroyed by rain after Bermuda had reached 92-3 off 23 overs.

Asked if the latest events signalled a rebirth for the sport long regarded by many as Bermuda's national past-time, Bailey chuckled, before rebuffing the notion.

"I don't know about rebirth. Some people don't realise how other countries with similar programmes have the financing available and proximity to other prominent cricketing powers to be able to more easily advance their programmes,'' he explained.

"Bermuda's isolation in the Atlantic has not helped us to grow, firstly because of cost for travel and secondly because we haven't really had other, bigger playing countries that really cared much about Bermuda.

"Bermuda has done well under the circumstances and finally have broken into the international arena in a big way and it has taken a lot from an administrative point of view to get to this point with so many factors working against us.

"So rather than a rebirth, I would say new windows of opportunity have come and it's time for the players to take advantage of it.'' Next on the agenda is the trip to Barbados between April 11-18 which coincides with the New Zealand tour of the West Indies for a Test series. The Kiwi's are due in Bermuda following the conclusion of that series in early May.

Plans are still being finalised for Antigua to visit the Island in September, while Bermuda sets off for their Shell/Sandals baptism in October.

Another excursion south follows in December before the squad takes an easterly route toward Malaysia and the prestigious ICC Trophy competition. In between Bailey said that he would hope to have at least two, possibly expanded, competitions similar to the Christmas festival in the US.

ED BAILEY -- The BCBC president has some ambitious plans for Bermuda's cricket